Frankenstein: The Complete Screenplay: Written and Directed by Guillermo del Toro

by Guillermo del Toro

Frankenstein, directed by Guillermo del Toro, delves deep into the timeless tragedy of Victor Frankenstein—from his grisly experiments and the destruction wrought in their wake to his quest for redemption in the frigid Arctic—in this unforgettable reimagining of one of the most iconic literary works of all time.

Featuring stunning concept art, film stills, and behind-the-scenes photography, this official reproduction of the film’s complete screenplay invites readers into del Toro’s world as the classic story was adapted for the screen. With nuanced character development and poignant dialogue, the script brings fresh life to Shelley’s tale, exploring like never before the fractured relationship between creator and creation. From the tormented Victor Frankenstein to his tragic monster, del Toro’s unique artistic voice shines through every page, offering an immersive experience for fans of both the original novel and del Toro’s cinematic genius

Genres: Horror, Fiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published November 25, 2025

About the author

Guillermo del Toro is a Mexican director mostly known for his acclaimed films Pan's Labyrinth, The Devils Backbone, Crimson Peak and the Hellboy film franchise. His films draw heavily on sources as diverse as weird fiction, fantasy, horror, and war. In 2009, Del Toro released his debut novel, The Strain, co-authored with Chuck Hogan, as the first part of The Strain Trilogy, an apocalyptic horror series featuring vampires. The series continued with The Fall in 2010 and concluded with The Night Eternal in 2011.

Reviews

[Jessamyn Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is 2026 the year I return to reviewing books? We’ll see, but I’ll at least do my first book of the year.

Really appreciated that this used a shooting script rather than a cleaned up transcript like a lot of script books I’ve read.

I’m really hoping Netflix will release some deleted/extended scenes at some point, especially the Elizabeth-centered ones. I wish some of them had been left in as one of my few complaints with the movie was that I found her characterization to be a little bit lacking. And I’m not sure if they would add to the final film or not but some of the cuts to the Victor’s childhood portion are FASCINATING.

Quite nicely put together book with a lot of stills, quotes form GDT and storyboards for the most action packed sequences.

[Ross Bonaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guillermo del Toro has long spoken about how his adaptation of Frankenstein has been a passion project of his for nearly all his life. In 2025, we finally got to see del Toro’s vision, and the result is an interesting mixture of Mary Shelley’s original novel, pieces of the 1931 Frankenstein, as well as other film adaptations, and his own issues with his father. It’s a fascinating mixture that allows del Toro to put his own fingerprints on this story he’s loved for so long.

It’s also a vision that feels very much within del Toro’s wheelhouse: it’s beautifully written, full of violence and gruesome imagery, and of course, the creature is the true hero while man (in the form of Oscar Isaac’s Victor Frankenstein) is the true monster. If anything, del Toro’s screenplay on its own might be tighter than the film that came from it, a captivating read that del Toro passionately crafts through his own lens. Reading the screenplay, you don’t get the lags and drawn-out portions that the film has, and it has a more succinct, focused attention to it. Del Toro has written several novels of his own, and his Frankenstein reads like one of his strongest works on the page.

[Kyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating look at del Toro's creative process, because there are quite a few differences between the printed screenplay and what ended up in the final cut. I wish the book had addressed that a little more, because it would have been interesting to know why certain changes were made. I'm not sure when this was released in comparison with the actual film, though, so it might not have been possible to compare the screenplay with the film when the book was being compiled.

The behind-the-scenes photos are fun too, although one or two are incorrectly captioned, and that's just strange. The other odd thing is that this screenplay is slightly different than the version that was published online for free. In this version, for instance, the Creature gives Elizabeth a flower growing in his cell instead of a leaf. The online version has the leaf but retains many of the other differences from the final cut, so I suppose the online version is a slightly later script than the printed one.

[Brenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a treat to read. Frankenstein is my favorite film of the year, so I was stoked to get my hands on the screenplay. It is so well written. With a script, the writer has to be much more precise and direct with their words as opposed to a novel, and Del Toro is clearly a master of his craft. Every description and piece of dialogue was sharp, moving, and beautiful. It is really cool to get to read the screenplay and see what changed and what didn’t from page to soundstage to screen. I also loved the addition of storyboards and images. This is the result of decades of Del Toro manifesting and dreaming of making this adaptation, and it is truly so special. I should have read it like Jacob did in a darkened room lit by flickering candlelight. That is what it deserves.

[Rubinny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esta edición es preciosa. La película en su día me gustó, pero leyendo el guion eres capaz de captar todos esos detalles de las relaciones entre los personajes, de sus intenciones, de sus formas de ser, que tan solo viendo una peli dejas escapar. También tiene notas sobre pensamientos de Guillermo del Toro que son muy muy interesantes. Y encima, viendo un guion escrito, te das más cuenta aún de lo loco que es que de estas palabras pueda salir la película que salió —en cuanto a aspectos visuales me refiero—.

[Rhiannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fascinating to see how the script evolved into the final version we saw on screen. Some scenes in this version I can see why they were cut or rewritten, but there are quite a few that I wish were left in, especially when it comes to Elizabeth.

I also really loved the inclusion of the storyboards and stills. The captions from del Toro were enlightening in many cases.

[Jenn Kause · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of my favorite movies of the year and the script is so fascinating, I love GDT so much